Opel Vivaro e-Concept [w/video]

Debut: Vivaro e-Concept Study Adds New Impulses
Opel Premiere at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2010

* Electric-van concept, seen with more than 400 km extended range
* Clean advanced technology perfect for congested urban areas
* Capacity with more than 5 m3 cargo space and 750 kg payload target

Hannover/Rüsselsheim. Opel is sending new impulses to electric mobility: At the IAA Commercial Vehicles Fair in Hannover (September 23 to 30, 2010) the brand debuts a research project on a Vivaro e-Concept, an electric van with up to 400 kilometers extended range. With this concept, Opel imagines that environmentally friendly e-mobility could also be intriguing for commercial vehicle operators.

“We would like to test the acceptance of our advanced propulsion technology by showing the Vivaro e-Concept to the commercial vehicle specialists attending the show,” says Chris Lacey, Executive Director, International Operations Opel/Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles. “We are convinced that we will get a fantastic reaction from the people who use such vehicles on a daily basis: Electric mobility will allow them to travel in city areas which are now off-limits to petrol and diesel-powered vehicles and the range-extender technology makes it possible to use an electric van for normal routine business.”

The Vivaro e-Concept aims to prove that operators do not have to make great concessions to practicality when they choose intelligent propulsion. The e-Concept is conceived to have 5.0 cubic meter storage capacity able to carry 750 kilograms of load, making it an excellent value for urban delivery drivers.

The e-Concept is envisioned to be capable of meeting the typical daily needs of inner city delivery transport fully electrically and therefore completely emission-free. The vehicle would be extremely quiet and clean – with respect to the environment and reduced traffic zones in the inner city.

The 111 kW electric motor in the Vivaro e-Concept propulsion system delivers 370Nm of torque and would offer 100 kilometers pure electric driving range. On longer, regional hauls or shuttle services, range-extender switches on, extending the total driving range to more than 400 kilometers. Thanks to Opel’s extended range propulsion concept, engineers foresee the Vivaro e-Concept as capable of driving permanently with engine and electric motor propulsion, enabling drivers to reach distant destinations with the confidence and peace of mind that a depleted battery will not strand them.

Intelligently stowed energy

Opel engineers have mounted the batteries, which can be re-charged on a standard household 230-volt outlet under the floor of the Vivaro e-Concept. There, the lithium ion battery modules are protected from the weather. At the same time the modules provide a low center of gravity for good handling characteristics, protecting especially from crosswind influence.